We know it has been an especially difficult year for PSA members in Education Support Staff (ESS) roles.

Since the Secretary announced in April 2024 significant cuts to the Education budget, we knew the biggest impact would be felt in the ESS areas.  We saw the ‘Embedded Services Review’ follow and all divisions and directorates were directed to undertake functional reviews, which inevitably resulted in the implementation of multiple realignments or major restructuring across the department.

Your Pay rises and Back Pay

The good news is, the PSA secured your 2024 pay rise and successfully negotiated a three-year pay deal for all members covered by the Salaries Award. This is a significant win, giving certainty for future pay rises. The PSA worked hard negotiating with the department as well as appearing in the NSW Industrial Commission to achieve this, and the PSA General Secretary contacted senior members of the NSW Government to ensure not only that members would receive their backpay prior to Christmas but also that it wasn’t paid in the same week as leave loading.  You will see your salary increase back paid to the first full pay period after 1 July 2024 in your 19 December 2024 pay packet.

Consultations between the PSA and Department of Education

Joint Consultative Committee Meeting

For accountability and tracking, “Restructures” has been a standing agenda item on our Joint Consultative Committee (JCC) meetings throughout the year. The PSA hosted the quarterly JCC meeting on 20 November 2024 at PSA House and discussed the following member concerns.

• Organisational Change and the Public Education Plan (PEP): PSA requires improved processes of advance notification, improved communications to PSA and staff and genuine consultation. We sought more detail on plans for the remainder of 2024, through to Term 2, 2025; and we continue to point out the omission in the plan of recognition and positive messaging about the essential work of ESS staff.
• Performance Development Plan (PDP) Arrangements: PSA raised that Success Factors was not successfully implemented and is not functioning to expected capacity, so we advised that staff should be advised that they are not required to complete a PDP this cycle.
• Recruitment Practices: PSA continues to interrogate recruitment practices after the Recruitment Delivery Model was implemented, to ensure Department of Education (DoE) follows required policies, and equitable and transparent best practice. The PSA has raised examples of non-compliance and our expectation for improvements.
• Workforce Data: PSA requested and was provided with data on Full Time Equivalent ongoing and temporary roles and contingent labour.
• People Matter Employee Survey (PMES) Results: The PSA discussed the PMES results reflect low staff morale, and a poor psycho-social climate with most ESS employees expressing that they feel unable to manage their workload and/or are on the verge of burnout. This must be acknowledged and factored into the Staff Wellbeing Strategy which is in ongoing consultation with stakeholders and unions.
• Embedded Services Review (ESR): The PSA required updates on phase one and two completions and summary reports on the recommendations. PSA has also had separate consultation meetings with the department concerning ESR throughout the year.
• Workforce Planning and Retention: The PSA expressed ongoing concerns over extensive organisational changes occurring concurrently, including many role deletions, we expressed psycho-social safety concerns for members during this challenging time, and questions about how essential work and services can continue, where so many roles are removed or realigned. The PSA has also asked for Separation Surveys/interviews to be conducted and for data to be collected and properly assessed concerning why people choose to leave employment with the department. This data should be used to inform better retention.

Restructures and Mobility Placement

The PSA took the department to the Industrial Relations Commission over a failure to genuinely consult, to ensure proper communication and processes for organisational change. The Association will continue to hold the department to best practice standards, and to support impacted members through placement, redeployment and recruitment to vacant roles across the department and then across the broader public sector.

We have won extended consultation periods for feedback on the initial proposals for the concurrent People Group, Communications and Engagement and Schools Infrastructure NSW restructures; and for the PSA to be provided with the consolidated feedback, prior to finalisation and Secretarial approval of the new structures.  We have continued to communicate with the department that no member should find themselves in mobility processes at this time of year, nor through to the first weeks of January 2025, which are known holiday periods and notorious downtimes for recruitment. The department has given this assurance.

We have held a series of member meetings at both Parramatta and Eveleigh and online, listening to member concerns and gathering feedback, which was formally provided to the department.  The PSA will also continue to provide individual industrial advice and support when members request assistance.

Changes to Flexible Working and ‘Office Presence’

Following the recent announcement by the Secretary about proposed changes to the department’s Flexible Working Arrangements procedure, with a focus on staff returning to offices . The announcement aligns with the Premiers’ Circular C2024-03 NSW Government Sector Workplace Presence published on 5 August 2024 and can be viewed HERE.

The PSA advised members to complete the survey and provide individual feedbackThe department will need this information to understand the office accommodation requirements and to address the impacts raised.  In addition, PSA delegates are compiling feedback on behalf of members to inform a PSA response to the proposal. Under a new procedure, particular patterns of attendance are not prescribed but it is expected that staff will work principally from an approved office, workplace or related work site.

As previously notified, the PSA were previously engaged in comprehensive consultation over the current Flexible Working Arrangements Policy, Procedure and implementation Principles, to allow flexibility for all roles on an ‘If Not, Why Not?’  basis.

An employer may direct employees in relation to their working arrangements, if direction is lawful and reasonable however consultation over matters of significant concern to our members is an ongoing requirement and we will be advocating for your employer to maintain best practice flexible working in your workplace.

The union will be continuing to support members within this context and will be in touch in 2025 about next steps in the ongoing consultation around flexibility.

Remember if you have any individual concerns, please contact the PSA Member Support Centre (MSC) for assistance. The MSC will run on skeleton staffing over the shutdown period, closing on public holidays.

Your union is here to support you, and we would like to take the opportunity to wish you a well-deserved break, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!  We look forward to seeing you on the other side in 2025.